


Jimothy's Journey

by Milkbonez



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: Gen, Nuzlocke Challenge, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pokemon Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24141826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milkbonez/pseuds/Milkbonez
Summary: Eleven-year-old Jimothy from New Bark Town preferred to play an action hero with his childhood friends. He never imagined a simple errand for Professor Elm would lead to him taking on the League challenge! Armed with a video camera and a rowdy Totodile, he sets off on a trip to win badges, make new friends, and capture footage for a real action-adventure movie. Little does he know that a darkness is growing in the underbelly of the Johto region, and the fate of its future will rest on his shoulders.My first Pokemon Nuzlocke challenge.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 4





	1. Eleven-Year-Olds Love to Help Out

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! If any of you are familiar with my other work, you'll notice I mostly post for Danganronpa V3. I thought it might be fun to try to write a long fanfic chronicling my adventures in Pokemon Silver. I'm notorious for not being able to keep deadlines, but by aiming to post every 7-10 days, I hope I will be disciplined enough to keep writing and finishing chapters. I'm going to be cutting down on certain details (lots of timeskips over level-grinding, for example), so anyone familiar with my work may notice a change in quality compared to my V3 stuff.
> 
> Here are the rules I'm following with my Nuzlocke.
> 
> 1) If a Pokemon faints, it is dead and released immediately. (Shiny Pokemon can be caught regardless but can only be used after 1 death has occurred since capture.) Nuzlocke begins once Pokeballs are obtained.  
> 2) Can only catch first Pokemon that appears on route/town/area. Gift Pokemon are OK to use but count towards "first encounter" rule.  
> 3) No healing items from the bag allowed during combat.  
> 4) A whiteout is a Game Over.

Jimothy pushed open the double doors to Professor Elm’s Laboratory. He winced back from the ceiling’s many bright lights. At least the gray floor tiles absorbed some of the light. Beeping and humming sounded from machines seen and unseen. Countertops cluttered with glass tubing and other equipment made the area a clean freak’s worst nightmare. Two rows of shelves crammed with books flanked the rear of the lab.

A bespectacled man in a white coat stood bent over some papers at a countertop. When Jimothy came in, he straightened up and ushered him in deeper. “Ah, Jimothy! Thank you for coming so quickly. I’m Professor Elm’s aide. Let me escort you to the back.”

Hands in his pockets, Jimothy dragged his feet behind Elm’s aide. They soon arrived at the back, a maze of desks and computer monitors. Professor Elm was typing at one such computer, beside a hefty-looking machine. The aide said, “Excuse me, professor. Jimothy is here.”

Professor Elm rose from his swivel chair and held out his hand. “Excellent! Good morning, Jimothy. Glad you could make it on such short notice.”

“Not like I had a choice,” murmured Jimothy, giving the offered hand a half-hearted shake. The aide excused himself and scurried off.

Elm continued as if he had said nothing. “Earlier this morning, I received an email from my acquaintance, a man nicknamed Mr. Pokemon. He keeps finding weird things and raving about his discoveries. He says he’s made a grand finding and to come right away, but my aide and I are so busy with our research… There’s just two of us here, you know.”

“So you called my mom to see if I could come run an errand for you,” finished Jimothy. One backpack strap dangled loosely from slumped shoulders. This old geezer was cutting into playtime with his friends.

“That’s right. It would be a huge help to us, and I know how eleven-year-olds like to help out.” Elm tilted his head at the boy. “I see you have a PokeGear. May I see it, please?” When Jimothy handed over the watch-like device, Elm hooked it up to his computer and tapped a few keys. He gave it back. “There we go, I’ve installed a Map function into your PokeGear to make your trip easier. Here, let me add my phone number, as well, in case anything comes up.

“Mr. Pokemon lives on the northern end of Route 30. It’s the road leading out of Cherrygrove City, just west of here.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Jimothy waved him off. It wouldn’t be his first trip to Cherrygrove City. He and his friends made it all the time when practicing stunts for their action movie plots.

Professor Elm walked over to a small table that was, oddly, free of clutter. He gestured to the three Pokeballs resting on it. “Of course, it can be dangerous to go into the grass alone. Take one of these Pokemon for a partner!”

Jimothy’s face lit up. “A Pokemon? Just for me?” Maybe doing work for an old geezer would be worth it.

“Correct. But choose carefully. It’s an important choice.”

Jimothy picked up the first ball and pressed its button. A green dinosaur-like creature with a leaf on its head appeared. “What’s this?”

“That’s Chikorita, the Grass-type Pokemon.”

“Huh, boring!” Jimothy repeated the process with the other two Pokeballs. One held a Fire-type mouse Pokemon, Cyndaquil. It looked weak, timid. The other contained Totodile, the Water-type crocodilian Pokemon. The moment he noticed its bright eyes, pointed spines, and pearly teeth, Jimothy had hearts in his eyes. “Totodile! I want Totodile!” he exclaimed.

Elm smiled. “Congratulations on your new Pokemon! I’m sure you’ll get along great. Did you want to give it a nickname?”

Jimothy patted Totodile’s head, only to yank his hand back from its biting jaws. “I’ll call him Fang!”

Elm sat down at his computer again and started to type furiously. “Very well! I’ll tell Mr. Pokemon you’re on your way there. Your Fang will be able to fight off any wild Pokemon that gives you trouble. But if it gets hurt, bring it back here and heal it with this machine.” He patted the hulking piece of machinery beside him with a loving touch.

“Got it! Let’s go, Fang!” Jimothy withdrew his new Pokemon and hustled on his way.

* * *

Fang was a natural battler. Each Pidgey, Rattata, and Weedle that Jimothy came across fell to his Pokemon’s scratching claws. His strength and eagerness made the trip up Route 30 to Mr. Pokemon’s house a quick one.

Mr. Pokemon welcomed him inside at his knock. “You must be Jimothy! Professor Elm told me you were coming.”

Jimothy stood in the doorway of the small, simply furnished home. Mr. Pokemon fetched a round object from a cushion under his desk. Red and blue irregular shapes scattered its smooth surface.

“This is a Pokemon egg,” he explained. “A couple I know runs a Pokemon Daycare service, and they gifted me this egg. I sent word about it to Professor Elm. He’s the authority on Pokemon evolution, so I’m sure he might uncover a connection.” He turned to face a desk with a large globe on it. “What do you think, Professor Oak?”

“I certainly agree!” chirped another old man’s voice.

Jimothy quirked an eyebrow when Professor Oak rose from the chair and stepped towards him. “Professor Oak? Aren’t you that guy in Pokemon Talk with DJ Mary?”

Oak chuckled. “So, you listen to the radio! Yes, I’m the very same. I’m a researcher like Professor Elm, from the Kanto region. But I happened to be here visiting my old friend Mr. Pokemon, listening to his discoveries. He has told me that there are many new species in Johto which don’t live in the Kanto region.”

Jimothy reached into pocket and held up Fang’s Pokeball. “Professor Elm said this one was recently discovered. Want to see?” He let his Totodile out without waiting for an answer. Scuffed from the trip’s many battles, Fang gazed up at Jimothy with a smile before turning to Professor Oak.

Oak crouched to inspect Fang. He reached over his head. Fang took a small snap at him. Jimothy cried, “Easy! He’s not a bad guy!” His Pokemon stilled, tongue sticking out in a silly way.

“I can see you and your Pokemon have a good relationship. You treat it very well,” Oak said. “Surely this is why Professor Elm entrusted you with a Pokemon for your errand.” He turned back to the computer desk and lifted a briefcase from the floor next to the chair. He took a small object from it to give to Jimothy. “This is the latest model of PokeDex. This hi-tech encyclopedia will tell you anything you need to know as a trainer about various species of Pokemon you come across.”

“Thank you…” Jimothy slipped the device into the back pocket of his pants. He didn’t fancy himself a trainer at all, but why turn down a free gift from such a famous guy? He could brag to his friends about meeting Professor Oak in the flesh, with the PokeDex serving as proof.

Professor Oak checked a clock on the wall. “Oh, dear, I’ve stayed too long. I’ve got to get back to Goldenrod for my radio show.” He gathered some important-looking papers into his briefcase, thanked Mr. Pokemon, and said, “Oh, and you, young man, er…”

“Jimothy, sir.”

“Jimothy, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I do hope we will see each other again someday!” With that, Oak hurried out the door.

Jimmy’s PokeGear buzzed with a phone call. Prof. Elm’s name appeared on its screen.

Mr. Pokemon remarked, “I suppose it’s time for you to be on your way, too. But here, let me heal your Pokemon for the road.”

* * *

Blades of grass flew as Jimothy dashed through an open park in Cherrygrove City. Something had happened, but Elm was too awestruck to explain. Jimothy needed to take any shortcut he could to make it back quickly. The late afternoon sun was making him sweat. When he reached the main road out of the city, a rib cramp forced him to slow down.

Shuffling along the side of the road, he spotted a figure running towards him. The figure grew; he started to see features. Short, about his height. Long red hair. Dark-colored clothes. It was a boy about his age, whose pace picked up suddenly. Crash! Jimothy was sprawling on the ground.

“Augh… What gives?!” cried Jimothy.

The redheaded kid’s brow was knit in a serious look, face red and damp with sweat. Panting, the redhead grunted, “You…! That Totodile of yours… You’re too weak to own it.”

Jimothy climbed to his feet, brushing his own dishwater blond hair out of his eyes. “No, I’m not. My Totodile is the coolest! And who are you, anyway? How do you know…”

“Hand over your Pokemon, and you won’t get hurt.” The redhead removed a Pokeball from his pocket and threw it down. A Chikorita appeared from its light.

“Ha! You picked the boring plant thing!” Jimothy sent out his Pokemon. “Go get ‘em, Fang! Scratch!”

“Tackle attack!”

Chikorita sent Fang tumbling, but not before it was able to get a swipe in with its claws.

Jimothy’s stomach fluttered. This felt different from all the wild Pokemon battles he’d had… “Rage attack!”

“Tackle, now!”

 _Chomp!_ Fang latched onto the leaf on Chikorita’s head. It struggled a bit before regaining its footing and slamming into the Water-type again. The wind knocked out of him, Fang let go of the head-leaf.

“Rage again, Fang!” Eyes flaring with power, Fang pounced on the opposing Pokemon. His jaws clamped down on its entire head this time. Chikorita cried out and went limp, unable to battle.

The redheaded boy’s eyes grew, darting from his own Pokemon to Jimothy’s. Locked onto the Totodile dancing in celebration. His scowl deepened, and he recalled Chikorita into its Pokeball. “Hmph. Are you happy you won?”

Jimothy thrust his hands onto his hips. “Who are you? Tell me now!” Fang, noticing his trainer’s new stance, stood at attention and clicked his teeth. Jimothy added, “Or else.”

“You want to know? My name is Silver. I’m going to become the most powerful Pokemon trainer in the world by stomping out weak trainers like you.” With a glare at Fang, he grumbled, “And getting that Totodile which should have been mine.” He shoved Jimothy back and stormed westward up the road into Cherrygrove.

Fang snarled and gave chase but didn’t make it two steps before Jimothy blocked him with his leg. “Leave him alone. He’s just mad that he lost.” Jimothy crouched to pat his Pokemon’s head. “See? I knew I made the right choice in making you my new partner!”

Tongue lolling in a clownish way, the Totodile nudged his nose up under Jimothy’s chin.

* * *

“The Pokemon League challenge, huh?” said Jimothy’s mom over the running of the sink tap. The house smelled of supper’s savory, spiced burger meat. The front door and living room windows were open, and the ceiling fan in the dining area spun at its highest setting to clear away traces of smoke.

Jimothy wiped crumbs from dinner off of the wooden kitchen table onto the floor. Fang was underfoot, licking up the fallen crumbs of burger buns and coleslaw. “Yeah. After I battled the thief who stole Chikorita, Professor Elm told me he thinks I have what it takes to do it.” He reached into his back pocket. “He even programmed a virtual trainer license into my PokeDex — did I tell you I got one from Professor Oak himself, Mom? So I’m allowed to participate in League-sanctioned battles.”

His mother set the dirty pans and plates into the hot soapy water to soak and turned around. She frowned. “Are you dirtying my floor with crumbs, Jimothy?”

“Don’t worry, Fang’s helping!” The Totodile turned to grin her, licking his chops.

Smiling, his mother shook her head. “I suppose you’re not wrong.” She sat at the table when he finished. “Well, how do you feel about the idea? Taking the League challenge?”

Jimothy’s eyes shone. “I want to do it! I always play adventures with my friends, but now that I have a Pokemon? I get to have a real adventure of my very own. Camping under the stars, catching new Pokemon, getting stronger…” He bent down to hoist his Pokemon up. “Fang is already tough. He could win badges for me easy!”

His mother chuckled. “That’s what I knew you’d say. My Jimothy… once you set your mind to something, you always find a way to do it. When will you head out on your adventure?”

“Professor Elm says that admissions for the next Johto Conference at the Indigo Plateau will start before I know it. So I’ll probably head off tomorrow to get the earliest start I can.”

“In that case, you’d better start packing your bag now with all of your belongings. I want to show you something upstairs, anyway.”

Jimothy followed his mother to her bedroom and watched her take a box from an upper shelf in her closet. His eyes widened; he all but dropped Fang behind him. His heart felt like it would burst with joy when she showed it to him.

“I was going to wait for your birthday,” she told him, “but I bought you this video camera. You’re overflowing with ideas for an action or adventure movie, and I know you like to play those out with your friends. Now that you’re going on a real adventure…”

He took the box and hugged it close. “Thank you, Mom! You’re the best!” He shifted it to one arm so he could hug his mom. “Thank you, thank you! I can make a real movie, now!”

His mother held him tightly. “And send footage to me as often as you can. I look forward to seeing how you and your team grow. And your movie, of course.”

“You’re gonna love it! We’re going to conquer the whole region someday soon!” Spinning around, he nearly tripped on Fang, who was so quiet behind him, and bolted to his room. “Better get packing, then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jimothy's team:  
> \-- Totodile ("Fang", male)
> 
> Death count: 0


	2. Mister Movie Man

Jimothy stood at the edge of the city, on the road to Route 29, with his new Pokemon and three closest friends.

“You’re so lucky,” whined Seanathan, a boy about Jimothy’s age, slightly taller and slimmer with blue-black hair. “My mom thinks I’m not ready to have a Pokemon yet.”

“Try doing an errand for Professor Elm,” Jimothy suggested. “That’s how I got my Totodile.”

Fang stood in front of Sandra, the youngest of the group, relishing the way she stroked his snout.

Elizabelle shook her head. “Get in line. Once I finish this next semester of homeschool classes, I’m going to formally ask to volunteer. I’m sure they’ll need help with something.”

Seanathan rolled his eyes. “Geez, I can’t believe how you would rather be a researcher than a trainer, or something else exciting.”

“Watching and observing how Pokemon act in the wild is interesting. Otherwise, the PokeDex wouldn’t exist for the benefit of trainers.” With a sassy toss of her head, Elizabelle flipped her pink hair.

Seanathan shrugged. “I guess that’s true. I wish I could go out and train Pokemon like Jimothy, though.”

“And make a real adventure movie,” Jimothy injected. “I’ll have my camera ready at all times!” He dug it out of his backpack.

The two gazed at it in awe. “It’s so cool that your mom got you a real camera,” said Elizabelle. “You better take footage of all your important battles!”

Her younger sister Sandra was sitting on the ground now, playing patty-cake with Fang. A Meowth plushie rested on her shoulder. She looked up. “Jimothy, will you please include lots of cute Pokemon in your movie? Like Meowth?” She lifted her plushie up to him. The gold-colored bell on its koban jingled.

“Well, it’ll take something that’s a real star to be part of my movie. But I’ll make sure to take lots of footage so they can at least support the heroes!” From the way she smiled brightly, this answer seemed to satisfy her.

Elizabelle tugged Sandra’s hand. “Come on, we can’t spend all day saying goodbye. Jimothy has places to be!” Sandra stood and brushed herself off.

Seanathan added quickly, “Hey, when you get to be famous, don’t forget about us, okay?”

“Never! Not in a million years!” exclaimed Jimothy. He and Fang waved farewell until the group disappeared around a street corner. He looked down at his Pokemon. “Well, our journey begins!”

* * *

The duo had barely walked into Route 29’s grassy path when they were approached by an older boy. “Hey, you!”

Fang ambled around in front of Jimothy and opened his jaws wide with a growl. Holding his camera up, Jimothy turned towards the voice. The older boy looked about sixteen with very short, black hair. He stopped six feet short of them. “Uh, could you call off your Pokemon? I’m not here to battle you.”

“You’re not?” Jimothy gave Fang a small nudge with his toe. “Save that energy for an action-packed battle sequence, alright?” Mouth closing, the Totodile stepped back to Jimothy’s side.

The teenager tilted his head. “I like your camera! Are you making a video log?”

“A movie! About my adventure!”

The teenager nodded. “Oh, that sounds cool! I actually came to talk to you because I saw you around here yesterday battling with your Pokemon. You seem new, so I wanted to ask if you know how to catch your own Pokemon.”

“Not officially, since I haven’t caught one yet. But I figured it’s just throwing a Pokeball at one, right?”

“Well, yes and no. It’s easier if you weaken them first, or get them while they’re distracted.” The teenager gestured for Jimothy to follow him, and the two boys crept through the grass. In moments they found a wild Rattata, digging up the roots of a dandelion plant.

Shushing Jimothy, the teenager grabbed a Pokeball from a back pocket. Tossed it forward. The ball struck true, and the Rattata disappeared in a flash of red light. The Pokeball wiggled once, twice, then fell still. “And that’s ‘gotcha’! It takes a bit of practice with aiming, and like I said, it’s easier to catch weakened or distracted Pokemon. But it’s simple at its core.”

“Wow! Thanks for showing me!” Jimothy pointed his camera at the teenager. “And so, with a new lesson from Route 29 dude, the hero continues his quest for a new member of the team!”

The teen laughed. “You’re welcome, mister movie man! Good luck going forward.”

After they parted ways, it wasn’t long before Jimothy came across another Pokemon. Hidden in a patch of grass, a brown bird Pokemon preened its feathers. “Pidgey, huh? And it looks distracted.” He held his video camera with one hand and reached for a Pokeball with the other. “Let’s see how good my aim is…”

Fang stormed forward, mouth agape and ready to fight. The Pidgey jumped, but it turned to face the threatening Water-type.

“Ack! Fang!” Jimothy groaned, but he said quickly, “Use Scratch!”

Fang raked the Pidgey with his claws. It knocked him backwards with its own full-body tackle in response, but he quickly recovered. Jimothy threw a Pokeball, but it landed just behind the Pidgey instead. “Rats!”

Fang scratched the Pidgey again, and the force of the attack made it stumble over the Pokeball on the ground. The ball opened and absorbed Pidgey with its light.

“Wow, great work, Fang!” Jimothy zoomed in on the ball as it shook, and shook, and shook. It stopped moving. “And that’s ‘gotcha’!” He picked up the Pokeball and held it high in the air. “Yes! A Pidgey! Our first new friend.”

Fang skipped and danced around his trainer’s feet in victory.

“The PokeDex says this one is male… Very docile, kicks up sand when threatened. Well, let’s meet him!”

The Pidgey reappeared from the Pokeball’s red light. He jolted back when he saw Fang, who had attacked him, and Jimothy’s camera right in his face.

“Sorry.” Jimothy set down his camera. Reaching into his bag, he proffered a blue-skinned Oran Berry, about the size of clementine. “Here, you’re probably weak after battling.”

He sat down in the grass, watching his new Pokemon eat. “I guess you need a nickname, too, huh?” He gave it some thought. “You look like the mascot on the frozen nugget box Mom gets from the store. I’ll call you Nugget.”

The Pidgey didn’t seem disagreeable.

The grass rustled, and a familiar purple rat Pokemon stepped into view, nose twitching. Jimothy picked up his camera. “Okay, Nugget! Let’s see what you can do!”

But before Nugget could do anything, the Rattata shoved him down. It sniffed the ground where the berry was, then lunged for Jimothy’s arm. Jimothy screamed. With a few rageful snaps of Fang’s jaws, the injured Rattata scurried away.

* * *

It had been just a nibble, said the nurse. The wound hurt and bled but wasn’t deep enough to be dangerous. She cleaned Jimothy’s wound and bandaged it snugly. His Pokemon were given a clean bill of health as well. Just over half an hour after entering Cherrygrove’s Pokemon Center, and they were on their way again.

“Maybe I’ll get a cool scar,” Jimothy mused, walking up the ridged road of Route 30.

He encountered worse things than Rattata on this path. Much like the day before, the grass was teeming with bug life, mostly Weedle. Each yellow grub defended itself by shooting a poisonous barb.

Nugget screeched when hit with the Poison Sting attack. Jimothy called, “You’ve got this! One more Tackle ought to do it!”

He was right. The Weedle lost its will to fight after one more Tackle. Nugget was weak and shaky, however. He coughed a puff of black air. Poisoning.

Jimothy dug around in his bag for an Antidote and sprayed Nugget’s wound, having him ingest the rest. He recorded his Pidgey’s fast recovery. “Nugget, Johto’s gutsiest Pidgey, survives the poison! Now back on his feet and in good health, he’s ready to take on whatever Route 30 has to offer!”

Nugget struck a pose, spreading his wings and gazing into the sky with a victorious glint in his eye. Jimothy laughed. “Yes! You’re a star, baby!” They marched up the road. “Nothing can stop us now! We’ll get to the next city in no time!”

“Hey, you look weak.” A boy about his age in a backwards cap and plain white shirt pointed at Jimothy. “I challenge you to a battle!”

Jimothy focused his camera. “I accept your challenge! Get ready, Nugget!”

“I’m going to use my Rattata!” The other kid sent out his Pokemon.

“This youngster’s Rattata is the first trainer Pokemon Nugget has ever faced! Will he be able to best his foe?”

The kid said, “My name is Joey, and you have to pay attention when you battle. Rattata, Tackle!”

“Use your own Tackle!”

The two Pokemon exchanged blows, and in under two minutes, Nugget was the only one still standing. He flapped his wings against the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Joey recalled his Rattata with a huff. “Aw man, I lost again… Oh well. Good game, there.” He offered some coins to Jimothy. “Here, take this.”

“Huh? What is this?”

“It’s customary for the losing trainer to pay the winner a little bit of money. Think of it as a tip for battling so well.”

Jimothy pocketed the change. “A tip! Cool! Thanks a bunch.”

“Be careful, though.” Joey pointed up the road. “My friend Mikey is even tougher than me. He's the one who defeated me earlier. I'm almost out of change to give.”

Sure enough, Jimothy was stopped by another young boy. The youngster declared, “When two trainers lock eyes, they’re required to battle! That’s Basic Pokemon Training 101!”

Unlike Joey, Mikey had a Pidgey of his own in addition to a Rattata. Nugget tired out after the first, so he sat by Jimothy’s feet and watched Fang finish the battle. 

Jimothy recalled Nugget and put away his camera. “We should save our energy,” he said to Fang. He opened his PokeGear. “According to the map, we’re not too far off from Route 31. Then it’s a straight shot to violet City. Let’s get going.”

They trekked on, hiking up the ledges and kicking through the grass. Plenty of Weedle and Pidgey appeared, but Fang scared them off with ease. By late afternoon, they were nearing the route junction where Route 30 became 31. A boy with a butterfly net searched the bushes and tall grass.

Jimothy muttered, “If trainers locking eyes means it’s time to battle, then I’ll just run by with my eyes covered.” He withdrew Fang, figuring only one set of footsteps would be quieter. He held his hands cupped beside his eyes. Waited for the searching boy to turn around. Took his chance and broke into a sprint.

A net plopped down over his head and hands, yoinking him backwards. The boy he’d tried to sneak past grinned at him from the end of his net handle. “Howdy. Let’s battle!”

* * *

Jimothy plodded down the beaten path on sore feet. The sunset reflected orange on a nearby pond. An entrance gate stood further up the road in the distance. Violet City. He heaved a sigh. “Almost there…” His stomach growled. The first order of business the minute he got into the city would be to get to a Pokemon Center, check into a room, and see about the complimentary meal all Pokemon Centers offered for traveling trainers.

A tree on the side of the path was sprouting fruit. A ripe Persim Berry hung from a low branch, looking heavy enough to fall right off. He hustled towards the tree, mouth watering. Snacktime!

Seemingly from nowhere, a Hoothoot flying overhead swooped down. Snatched the fruit in its talons before Jimothy could get to the tree. Beat its little wings rapidly to get airborne again.

Jimothy watched in wide-eyed disbelief. Then his face scrunched into a scowl, his hands into fists. He dug an empty Pokeball from his backpack. “That was my snack,” he grumbled. “I saw it first!” Chucked the ball. It not only knocked the berry from the owl Pokemon’s foot, it also sucked Hoothoot into its light on the way down.

Jimothy hastily stuffed the berry into his bag, scanning the sky for any other bird Pokemon that might steal his snack. He almost didn’t notice the Pokeball wiggling on the ground. The Hoothoot didn’t emerge. He heaved another sigh. “That's 'gotcha', I guess. I’ll meet you when I get into town. It’s getting dark.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jimothy's team:  
> \- Totodile ("Fang", male)  
> \- Pidgey ("Nugget", male)  
> \- Hoothoot (currently unnamed, male)
> 
> Death count: 0
> 
> Friends who read Ch 1 asked about Jimothy's name. The in-universe reason for his name is that odd name mashups are a New Bark Town cultural thing, as seen with Jimothy's friend group.
> 
> The meta reason for his name is that when I restarted my game to play a Nuzlocke, my thought process was, “I’m gonna do a Nuzlocke! What if I made it a story? What if I made it a silly cracky fun fanfic. What should the protagonist’s name be? I don’t even care. Okay. Jimothy fits.” Then I realized nobody would be able to take this story seriously if the protagonist had that name. But it was too late to change it, and I decided that the comical sounding name would help to lighten the burden of sad death moments that may happen later.
> 
> I hope this chapter doesn't feel like it dragged on forever. Jimothy really needed to reach Violet but I wanted to include his Youngster battles and the gag with the bug-catcher. I also had a lot of trouble with poisoning in-game and almost had him run back and forth between Cherrygrove and Rt 30 due to lack of preparation and bad poison luck.
> 
> Trivia: During my playthrough, I caught a lv 2 Rattata on Rt 46, but she died basically immediately during training on Rt 29. This Rattata nipped Jimothy to dash asunder any interest he might've had in catching one (since species clause says I can't).


	3. A Perfect Challenge for the Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been much longer than 10 days, but life has kept me quite busy. Even still, I hope to publish the next chapter within the next 2 weeks. I really hope this chapter wasn't too long, I want to keep the action moving.

In the Pokemon Center lobby, Jimothy released the third member of his team. The Hoothoot winced under the morning light coming in through the front windows and shifted to face away from them. Eyes darting around, it scraped softly at the carpeted common area with one talon.

Jimothy said, “Hi! We didn’t have a chance to meet properly last night. I was traveling all day yesterday. I was so tired, I almost forgot to call my mom before I went to bed. And I didn’t plan to catch another Pokemon so soon, but… I really wanted that berry.”

“Hoo…”

“Anyway, let’s meet the rest of the team!” Out came Fang and Nugget. “This is it,” said Jimothy, “the adventure squad. Guys, this is Hoothoot. I haven’t thought of a nickname yet, though.”

Fang held out his paw to the new teammate for a handshake. Hoothoot tilted his head, which was like tilting most of his round body, and lifted one of his taloned feet in return. Confused, Fang held out one of his own feet, stumbled, and turned it into a silly dance, bouncing around on his toes. Not to be outdone, Nugget struck his same spread-wing hero pose. Hoothoot cooed in delight.

“Toot toot!” said Jimothy.

“Hoothoot?”

“How’s that for a nickname. Toot Toot!”

“Hoothoot!” enthused his new team member.

That settled, Jimothy fed his Pokemon a quick breakfast, then went to a video phone with Toot Toot in his arms. He dialed his home video phone. In moments, his mom’s face appeared.

“Hi, sweetie! You look well-rested this morning.”

He nodded. “I slept like a rock once I got here. And, and, look! I got  _ two  _ new Pokemon yesterday.” Jimothy lifted Toot Toot to introduce him, then hoisted Nugget up at the nudge of his beak.

“Those look like wonderful new friends, but what happened to your arm? Are you all right?”

Jimothy looked down at the bandage from the day before. “Oh, this. I got bit by a Rattata yesterday. It hurt a lot.”

His mom gasped. “Oh, my baby…”

“I’m okay! A nurse in Cherrygrove patched me up. She said I had nothing to worry about. It barely even hurts now.”

She gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Thank goodness you got some help. Please be careful out there, Jimothy. Powerful Pokemon can be dangerous, although there aren’t very many reports of attacks on people…”

“I will, Mom. Oh, hold on, Fang wants to say hello too.” Jimothy set down his two bird Pokemon and held up his starter for her to see. Fang waved one little paw.

“Fang, make sure my boy doesn’t get into trouble, okay? Keep him safe for me. And that goes for the other two, too.” The Totodile saluted her before Jimothy set him down again. His mom asked, “So what do you have planned for today?”

“I’m going to march into the Gym and fight! And I’ll take shots of all the best angles!”

“I don’t think that’ll be entirely necessary. It’ll be broadcast on the Johto Battle Network, you know.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s right.” Although he loved tales of people going on adventures to far-off lands with Pokemon by their side, the Johto Battle Network wasn’t something Jimothy had kept up with as a very young child. He forgot the channel was even on his television. He added, “Well, it’ll still be important to my movie to at least record what the inside of the Gym looks like.”

“And don’t forget the rest of Violet City,” said his mom. “You’re in a beautiful city that values its traditions. There’s a lot of history and unique culture there, so it would be good for you to explore and get footage of it for memory’s sake.”

“Good idea! A perfect background for the hero’s first stop in his journey.”

“But, listen here, Jimothy. Because the culture there is different, I want you to be on your best behavior and remember your manners. Don’t disrespect the beliefs of the people there, especially in Sprout Tower, if you end up going. Understand?”

“Okay, Mom. You can count on me!”

“Good. I’m proud of you, Jimothy, and I’m rooting for you the whole way. Call me again tonight, okay?”

“Will do! Love you!”

* * *

Jimothy thrust open the doors of the Gym, declaring, “Okay, mister Gym Leader! I’m here to challenge you!”

A mostly-empty lobby greeted his entrance. To either side of the lobby were doors labeled “Auditorium Seats”. Near the back of the lobby, across from the entrance, a set of double doors decorated with fearsome bird Pokemon guarded the way to the arena. Large-screen televisions perched on different walls showed two young trainers dueling their own Pidgey and Spearow. To the right of the entrance doors was a reception desk, where a black-haired girl in a green scout uniform stood giggling.

“What? Wh-What’s so funny?” Jimothy’s face flushed hot.

The uniformed girl turned back to the lady at the reception counter. With a big breath to puff out his chest, Jimothy marched up to the counter.

The woman said, “Okay, Gina. You’re all set for tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” The girl, Gina, turned to find Jimothy standing behind her. “You don’t just walk into a Gym demanding to battle the Leader, you goofus. They have jobs, you know.”

“Th-They do?”

“That’s right. The Leader here works part time as a police officer. You have to make an appointment to get a match.” Gina patted the reception desk and stepped aside.

Jimothy stepped forward to speak with the receptionist. Making an appointment was a quick and easy procedure, and in minutes he’d made an appointment for the next afternoon. Thanking her, he spun around. Gina was gone. He burst out of the doors into the bright summer sun, but the streets were as quiet as they were when he’d walked up. “Huh, weird. Where’d that girl go?” He was eager to battle someone else taking on the Gym Leader.

He turned to walk down the road in the heat, narrating to himself. “Even though he’s confused, the hero begins a side-quest to find the mysterious girl he met at the Gym. Who is she? How strong is she? Will she be his rival, or just another tally mark on our hero’s win streak?”

What would a movie hero do? In mystery stories, the hero usually has a tracking Pokemon to follow a scent trail. Digging his camera out of his backpack, Jimothy let Fang out. He said, “Okay, Fang, we’re looking for a scout girl named Gina. I want you to follow her scent and find her so we can meet her again. Can you do that?”

Fang nodded, holding out his paws as if ready to receive something.

Jimothy quirked a brow. “What?” It took a few moments of his Pokemon gesturing at him before he realized. “Oh, you need something that smells like her first, huh? Well, let’s go back to the Gym for a second.”

Once there, Jimothy lifted Fang up to smell the door handles at the entrance. Then he set him down, saying, “Okay, pal, get tracking!”

Raising his nose to the sky, Fang whiffed the air. Whiffed the ground. Toddled down the sidewalk with his head raised. Jimothy filmed him on the move. “Fang, professional tracker, is on the hunt for a new challenge! Where could this mysterious girl be?”

Jimothy didn’t pass by many people as he followed his Pokemon down the streets. The ones he did see were dressed down in short sleeves and short pants. Some carried cold drinks and popsicles for relief in the heat. At least two elderly people shuffled along with umbrellas to shade them. As he told his mother, he recorded all with his camera.

About a half-hour into the trek, Fang broke into a run. Jimothy almost tripped off of a curb chasing after him. “Yeah, Fang! Let’s get her! You can do it!”

A four-story pagoda rose up in the distance, grew taller as the pair approached it. A magnificent lake surrounded it on three sides, and an ornate wooden bridge arched over the water to its front doors. Tongue lolling, Fang splashed into the lake’s shallows.

“Hey…!” Waddling up, Jimothy panted. Sweat collected on his brow. The camera focused on his Totodile, swimming out several meters until he could completely submerge himself. “Fang! What about the scout girl?”

Surfacing, Fang squeaked and grunted while pointing at the sky. Gave a dramatic sigh with tongue drooping.  _ It’s hot _ , he seemed to say.

“You’re right about that…” He sent out his two bird Pokemon. “The adventure squad is taking a swim break. Have fun!”

Toot Toot immediately fluttered into the nearest tree and perched on a branch, hidden amongst the green leaves. Nugget hopped onto the shallows to bathe.

Jimothy sat in the shade under Toot Toot’s tree with his camera. He filmed Fang splashing water at Nugget, who puffed out his feathers and splashed back. His Totodile would disappear under the water to swim around, his tail spines visible like a shark’s fin, before popping up to surprise Nugget. If he couldn’t submerge before Nugget kicked up water at him, he would clutch his chest and fall backwards as if dead before beginning the game over again.

In time, a couple of children emerged from the tower and crossed the bridge to the street, talking with excitement. “You trained really hard against the sages!” said one.

“Yes, but I still need more training before I can take on the Gym. It’s so hot, too… Let’s come back after supper and get more training in.”

“I wouldn’t do that… Ghosts come out to haunt the tower after dark. It’s better if we just come back tomorrow.”

“Ghosts? That’s dumb. Wouldn’t the sages know how to keep ghosts away…?” The pair walked out of earshot.

Jimothy considered what he’d just heard. The Sprout Tower was haunted? He remembered hearing from Elizabelle that most ghost sightings were just Ghost-type Pokemon playing tricks. It would be neat to catch a Ghost Pokemon and train it for battle… 

* * *

Jimothy never did find the scout girl Gina. Instead he and his team returned to the air-conditioned Pokemon Center. There he charged his camera, let his Pokemon rest in his rented room, and hunted for information. Several older trainers confirmed sightings of Ghost Pokemon in Sprout Tower. They warned him that Ghosts were tricky to fight because Normal-type moves had no effect.

“A perfect challenge for the hero,” he said to himself, striking a pose.

Leaving the PMC at sundown, he was walking across the arched bridge when the sky had turned a soft blue-violet. Stars blinked near a shiny white half-moon. Pairs of torches at either end of the bridge lit his way. Toot Toot ambled along one bridge handrail in front of Jimothy, keeping his balance while his trainer recorded his antics.

Jimothy deepened his voice. “After a restful afternoon, our hero and new squad member Toot Toot approach the haunted Sprout Tower. The mission: catch a Ghost Pokemon and train for tomorrow’s Gym showdown.” He called Toot Toot onto his shoulder and went inside.

The tower was made entirely of wood. The brown floorboards were sturdy and smooth. The ceiling loomed ten meters high. Flaming torches mounted on the walls cast a warm, dancing light on golden Bellsprout statues and shaven-headed monks who spoke with other visitors. Cooling air drafted in from open windows. In the center of the room, a giant wooden pillar swayed back and forth.

The imposing pillar commanded Jimothy’s attention. After getting some footage of it, he ambled up to get a closer look, pacing one circle around it. “Wow… it’s even wider around than my mom’s car.”

Toot Toot hummed an awestruck sound.

One of the robed monks approached him. “Curious about our pillar, are you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“This pillar was once a Bellsprout that stood one hundred feet tall.”

“Really?! I didn’t even know a Pokemon could get that tall.” Jimothy glanced at Toot Toot. “Think you might get to be as big as that Bellsprout someday?” The Hoothoot scoffed.

The monk chuckled, then continued, “Centuries ago, this tower was built with the Bellsprout at its center so that we monks could study how all life is connected. Everything coexists together in harmony. This Bellsprout pillar is an illustration of that. The pillar sways to keep the building steady, no matter how hard Pokemon trainers battle on the upper floors.”

Jimothy’s eyes lit up. “Hey, that’s right! It’s nighttime now, but am I still allowed to train?” Toot Toot’s claws tightened on his shoulder. Jimothy stiffened.

“Yes, you are. The tower has a few more hours until closing for the night.”

“Thank you, sir!”

It wasn’t until he had climbed the creaking steps to the second floor that Jimothy realized that he had forgotten to ask if filming was okay on the upper floors. He gazed around the second floor, which looked much like the first. Sprout Tower’s atmosphere was sacred, reverent. Jimothy put his camera away. It felt inappropriate to film in here.

Toot Toot hopped off of his trainer’s shoulder and fluttered to an open window about Jimothy’s height. Jimothy followed. “What’s wrong?”

Tracing a talon on the windowsill, Toot Toot murmured something in Pokemon tongue.

“I don’t understand, buddy…”

Toot Toot raised his voice. “Tooo, hoothoot…”

A deeper voice sang, “ _ Tooo, hoothoot! _ ”

Jimothy and his Pokemon both jerked. “Who said that? A bigger Hoothoot? ...A hundred-foot-tall Hoothoot…?”

A cloud of dark-colored gases swirled into shape near Toot Toot. A face with huge, scowling eyes and a giant, grinning mouth materialized. “ _ Tooo, hoothoot! _ ” it said in its deeper voice. Pale with panic, Toot Toot leaped out of the window.

Jimothy scrambled for his PokeDex. It was Gastly, the gas Pokemon, and one of the rumored ghosts haunting Sprout Tower. His heart thumped hard in his chest as he traded his Dex for one of his Pokeballs. “Distract it, Fang!”

Fang hesitated when he saw the Gastly’s grinning face, but he stepped forward, puffed out his chest, and opened his mouth to show off his teeth. Gastly opened its mouth right back, showing teeth not quite so large. Jimothy took the opportunity to throw an empty Pokeball at the Ghost-type. It disappeared but emerged from the ball seconds later, giggling.

Fang darted forward and swiped his paw at it. It phased through the Gastly’s gaseous body. Gastly laughed again and licked the Totodile’s face with a huge pink tongue. Fang recoiled. Jimothy threw another Pokeball, and this time, the capture was a success. 

“And that’s ‘gotcha’! Yahoo!” He raised the ball above his head in victory. “I caught one of the ghosts of Sprout Tower! Yes! Aw, it’s a shame I didn’t get that on tape.”

Jimothy gave his head a shake as if to clear his thoughts. “Oh no, I forgot about Toot Toot!” He hurried to the open window and gazed out of it. The night sky had become blackish blue since he’d arrived. It was difficult to see anything that wasn’t illuminated by streetlight or torch. “Toot Toot! Where are you? Come back, Toot Toot! The ghost won’t hurt you anymore.”

He waited a minute, two minutes. Called again for no response. His heart thumped, stomach turned with nerves. Jimothy looked down at Fang. “He’ll be okay, right? He can fly. Maybe he went to go hide, ‘cause he’s afraid of ghosts, and he’ll come back to us when we leave.” He nodded, more to himself. The logic calmed him down a bit.

“But for now, we need to meet our new friend and give it a nickname. Then we can start training.” Jimothy opened the Pokeball for his newest teammate. The Gastly greeted him and Fang with cordial nods.

Fang gave a wave, and Gastly smiled with its eyes. Jimothy checked the PokeDex once more, reading aloud. “‘Envelopes foes in gas to suffocate them.’ So you’re basically a stinky fart?” He looked up to see his two Pokemon sticking their tongues out at each other. Jimothy blew a raspberry at Gastly, who blew one right back. “Stinky. Isn’t that a good nickname?”

Gastly only laughed, blowing another raspberry.

With one stinky ghost in tow, Jimothy went forward to train with the monks on the floor. Fang was his first pick, with Stinky on the sidelines to watch. The monk sent out a Bellsprout, fast and lithe. It easily avoided Fang’s snapping jaws, put on the hurt with its Vine Whip, all without its human partner needing to say a word. Fang built up enough rage to knock it out in one hit, but Jimothy knew that the type disadvantage would make the going tough for him.

For the next monk, he used Stinky. “Show me what you can do, new guy!”

The monk before him sent out his own Bellsprout. “Just as we practiced, old friend.”

Stinky tried to attack the dancing Grass-type with his long tongue to no avail. Bellsprout leaned left and right, always out of reach. With a huff of frustration, Stinky’s eyes took on a mysterious blue glow. Bellsprout collapsed on the ground without warning, fast asleep. Jimothy watched in awe as Stinky licked the Bellsprout into submission.

“Wow, that’s… pretty weird and amazing,” he remarked. Stinky blew a raspberry and giggled in response.

They took on another monk training his Bellsprout. This time Stinky simply surrounded the Grass-type with his gaseous body, turned his face around, and licked his trapped foe with ease.

Jimothy patted Stinky’s head, or tried to, but his hand phased through. “You’re so gross, you know?” Stinky grinned.

The monk recalled his Pokemon, saying, “Every Pokemon uses unique techniques in battle. It’s up to the trainer to come up with an effective strategy. To me, it seems like you’re quite skilled in this area.”

Jimothy thought of saying that what Stinky did was all his Gastly’s idea, but he held his tongue.

“Your bond with your Pokemon is strong. You should go upstairs and let our elder see how you battle.”

“Thank you, sir!” Jimothy punctuated his statement with a small bow.

Upstairs was another high-ceilinged floor lit by nothing but the warm light of torches. In spite of this, Jimothy’s eyes were immediately drawn to a distinct splash of red across the room.

“You have the makings of a tough trainer,” said an older monk. The elder, Jimothy guessed. “But, you treat your Pokemon quite harshly. Pokemon are not simply tools for combat. Kindness is key in Pokemon training.”

Silver, the red-haired kid, scoffed. “I still beat you, didn’t I?” Spinning on his heel, He strode in Jimothy and Stinky’s direction.

Jimothy wanted to know, “What are you doing here, huh? Come to steal more Pokemon?”

“Trampling the weak sages here like the stepping stones they are,” Silver spat. “‘Kindness is the key in Pokemon training’? How pathetic. The only thing that matters is real strength.”

“Why should a Pokemon do anything for you if you’re just a jerkwad to them? What a terrible deal that is.” Scowling, Stinky gave a nod.

“My Pokemon respect me. They know how to obey. But I don’t expect a weakling like you to understand what it’s like living in a world where only the strong survive.” Silver’s shoulder bumped Jimothy’s as he strode to the stairs.

“What’s with that guy?” Jimothy muttered. Stinky’s face screwed up in a grimace, and he stuck out his tongue in disgust.

The elder monk beckoned him forward. “Come closer, young one!” Jimothy did so, and the elder said, “So nice of you to come train at Sprout Tower. My name is Li. We monks study the bonds between Pokemon and their trainers, and we’ve learned that battling together is one of many ways people can strengthen the bonds with their Pokemon.”

“You can say that again. I battled all these monks, but none of them ever gave orders to their Pokemon.”

“Many years of diligent training will forge lifetime bonds that need nothing to be said. As for right now, young one, I would like to test the ties between you and your Pokemon.”

Jimothy nodded at once. “You got it!” He backed up to leave room for battling. A pang of guilt stabbed him — after all those battles, he hadn’t seen Toot Toot at all. So much for a strong bond.

His guilt grew heavier when Elder Li sent out a Hoothoot of his own. “I will allow you the first move.”

“You know what to do, Stinky!” The Gastly launched forward with his licking tongue. The Hoothoot didn’t seem the least bit flustered. It only glared, emanating a white pulse from its eyes. Somehow, Stinky’s bodily fumes appeared thicker now. He tried to lick Hoothoot again and was hit with a full-body tackle in return. He landed on the ground with an audible thud.

Jimothy’s jaw dropped. “Huh?! How did that happen? I thought Normal moves couldn’t touch Ghost-types.”

Elder Li smiled patiently. “The move Foresight clears away any illusions, including Ghost Pokemon. It makes them vulnerable to all kinds of moves.”

Stinky got airborne again, groaning, “ _ Eh? _ ”

Jimothy took a quick moment to think. “You’re okay, Stinky. Use Hypnosis!”

Hoothoot was charging forward for another tackle. Stinky met it with his own glowing eyes. As expected, the owl Pokemon fell over in slumber. Jimothy then called back Stinky and sent out his Pidgey. “You got this, Nugget! Tackle!”

Two tackles later, and Hoothoot went back to its Pokeball. His next opponent was, unsurprisingly, another Bellsprout. This one took on a faint glow, and its body down to its foot-like roots seemed to stretch inch by inch. This seemed to make it even more flexible and able to bow out of the way of Nugget’s tackles.

Jimothy’s brows knit together in thought. “There must be something you can do…” Nugget scratched the wood floor with his claws, gaze locked onto his opponent.

Two vines lashed out. Nugget hopped away from one right in the path of the other. The blow to his face sent him backwards onto his rear end. No sooner was he on his feet than he used them to fling the dust he’d scratched up in the Bellsprout’s direction. The Bellsprout tried to wipe its face with a leaf.

“Was that Sand Attack?” exclaimed Jimothy. When his Pidgey nodded, he cheered. “Yes! Do it again!” This time Nugget used his wings to kick up more surrounding dust. A thin cloud enveloped the Bellsprout. “Now Tackle it while it can’t find you!”

For the first time in the match, Elder Li verbally commanded his Pokemon. “Use Growth to escape the dust cloud.”

The Bellsprout’s body glowed, but just as its head broke the surface of the dust cloud, Nugget fluttered up from behind and slammed his body into it. Bellsprout was no longer able to battle.

Elder Li was still smiling when he called back his Pokemon. “Well done! Well done, young man. You truly know how to work together with and trust your Pokemon.”

“Yeah, my Pokemon are the best ever!” Jimothy replied proudly. “We’re going to win that Gym battle easy.”

“A Gym challenger, are you? I would like to gift you something.” From the pocket of his robes, Elder Li procured a small compact disc. “Scan this with your PokeDex, and a video will appear teaching your Pokemon a dazzling new technique. Not all Pokemon can learn it, so beware of that.”

Jimothy’s eyes shone when he took the disc. “I didn’t know the PokeDex could do that…”

“You seem to be a beginner. Like any beginner, you have much to learn, but you are bright. Keep learning from others on your journey, and being kind to your Pokemon.” Elder Li bowed, which Jimothy returned.

* * *

Reaching the bottom of the tower, Jimothy stepped into the cool of night, the sky completely black aside from the moon and stars. Behind him, two wings fluttered furiously down. He turned. “Toot Toot?”

“Hoo-hoo!” came the cheery reply. Toot Toot dropped two objects from his talons.

Jimothy bent down to see them in the nearby torchlight. A Cheri Berry and a Persim Berry. “Oh, berries. You let to go pick these?” More than anything, he was baffled.

Toot Toot’s hoot of confirmation was more timid now, unsure.

“Well, berries are nice to have around. Let’s go back to the Pokemon Center. I want to tell you all about our training, and then you can meet Stinky again! The ghost you ran away from—er, flew away from.” Shoving the berries into his backpack, he stood and walked across the bridge back towards town. “Let’s go, Toot Toot.”

The Hoothoot hurried along at his heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jimothy's team:  
> \- Totodile ("Fang", male)  
> \- Pidgey ("Nugget", male)  
> \- Hoothoot ("Toot Toot", male)  
> \- Gastly ("Stinky", male)  
> Death count: 0


	4. Prepare to be Amazed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I posted chapter 2 and chapter 3 on the 21st of May and June, respectively. It's only natural that my goal would be to get this posted today. A bit shorter, but I had a lot of ideas I wanted to include. Ultimately, most of what I chose not to include here will show up or at least be mentioned in the next chapter. You'll see when Chapter 5 goes up.

In the corner of the Pokemon Center’s dining hall, Stinky ducked behind Nugget, who jumped from the scare. He only grinned when Nugget shot him a disapproving look. The Pidgey dipped his head to resume preening. Stinky called, “ _Hoo hoo!_ ”

Across the food dish, Toot Toot peeked out from behind Fang. Chuckling, Fang gestured to Stinky. The Gastly winked. “Hoothoot?” said Toot Toot.

“ _Hoot hoot!_ ” Stinky replied.

Toot Toot shuffled out from behind Fang shyly. Stinky mimicked him, meeting him halfway. In a show of silliness, the Gastly rolled over in the air to gaze down at Toot Toot upside-down. Balancing on one foot, Toot Toot stretched his neck and turned his head upside-down, as well. Laughing, Fang clapped. Nugget turned away to smooth down the feathers under one wing.

Jimothy walked up with two new, empty food dishes. “Hi, guys! Looks like you two are getting along great.”

Stinky and Toot Toot righted themselves, each giving a chirp of confirmation.

“It’s hard not to love Stinky’s impressions,” Jimothy said. “See, Toot Toot? He’s no one to be afraid of.”

Setting out the extra bowls, he poured chow into each one, and all four of his Pokemon gathered around to eat. Jimothy went back to the counter to get food for himself.

In the middle of breakfast, Jimothy was treated to a surprise. The Johto Battle Network played on the television mounted to the wall, currently tuned in to a live broadcast of Violet Gym’s current battle. At first, the challenger was just some girl with a ponytail. As soon as the referee said her name, however, Jimothy jolted with excitement. “Hey, it’s that scout girl!”

Dressed in casual wear, Gina was facing an intermediate Gym trainer, a young man with a thick sleeve on his arm. A Spearow gripped the sleeve before flapping clumsily onto the field. Gina sent out a Hoppip. Although it took a direct Peck attack, it puffed a cloud of purple mist in Spearow’s face when the bird drew near. Spearow shuddered with poisoning.

Jimothy tapped his shoe’s toe on the floor near where his Pokemon were sharing kibble. “Look at that,” he said, pointing to the TV. “It’s that Gina girl again. She must be crazy if she’s taking on a Flying-type Gym with Grass-type Pokemon.”

By the time his team glanced up, Hoppip was landing one last Tackle on the Spearow. The referee raised his arm towards to Gina. “Spearow is unable to battle. Gina and Hoppip win the match!”

“That Gina must be crazy _awesome_ to win a bad matchup like that,” said Jimothy to his team.

_“Now we’ll take a twenty-minute break before the challenger battles Gym Leader Falkner. After inheriting the position from his father, today marks Falkner’s eighth day as a Gym Leader. How will his Flying-type Pokemon stand up against this Grass-type trainer? Stay tuned; we’ll be right back.”_

While the local news displayed, Jimothy and his Pokemon finished their breakfast. He hastily washed their chow bowls in a bathroom sink, packed them up, and returned to his seat. On the floor, Fang leaned against his leg. Toot Toot sat nestled against Fang. Nugget, being the shortest, sat in front of both. Stinky hovered behind them. All eyes were glued to the TV.

Gina faced down a new opponent, a young man dressed in a blue kimono-style romper. Falkner. Despite being new to his job, he strode with confidence to his spot on the battlefield. The referee announced, _“This is a two-badge match between Falkner, leader of Violet City Gym, and Gina of Goldenrod City. Two Pokemon each in single battle format.”_

Jimothy blinked, did a double-take. “Wait, huh? She has two badges already?”

The first round was Gina’s Hoppip vs. Falkner’s Pidgeotto. “An even worse matchup than before,” Jimothy mused under an announcer’s play-by-play. Pidgeotto flapped, flapped its wings. A flurry of wind caught the Hoppip. Hurled it into the air. In a confused daze, it emitted a yellow-gold dust from its head leaves. Pidgeotto soared through the dust to nail a direct Tackle on Hoppip. Both Pokemon hit the ground.

Hoppip rose up first. Its head-leaves glowed; just like that, its wounds seemed to fade away. Pidgeotto climbed to its feet, both wings dragging at its sides. Winking, Hoppip made blowing-kisses motions to Pidgeotto. The Flying-type raised its voice in song.

The network announcer said, _“Not just paralysis, but infatuation, too! It’s going to be a tough battle from here out for Falkner’s Pidgeotto.”_

And tough it was. Paralysis locked Pidgeotto’s muscles. Hoppip tackled. Paralysis locked most of its muscles. Hoppip tackled. Pidgeotto regained muscle use, only to sing a love song. Hoppip tackled. Falkner recalled his Pokemon.

The referee called, “Gina’s Hoppip wins this match!”

Jimothy breathed, “Wowzers!” He looked to his Pokemon. “That girl’s Hoppip is pretty scary.”

Toot Toot nodded, eyes wide with awe. Fang pounded his chest with a paw, daring to challenge her. Nugget scoffed. Wearing a silly smile, Stinky blew a raspberry.

“Yeah, you’re right. You guys can take her! We’ll find a way around her sneaky Hoppip for sure!”

All attention went to the TV for the next matchup. This time it was Gina’s Bulbasaur vs. Falkner’s Fearow. In a blink, Fearow glided across the battlefield. Thrust out its talons. Landed two swipes. Bulbasaur deflected three more with its vines. Lowering its front, it launched seeds out of its bulb. Fearow pecked Bulbasaur’s head before looping back. The seeds in its feathers dug in, sprouted thin vines that wrapped around its torso.

Fearow swooped down for another Fury Attack with its talons. This time Bulbasaur took all five hits, one dangerously close to its eye. It missed its own tackle. Fearow came back around, long beak outstretched. Bulbasaur ran zigzags around the field, just out of reach. Fearow pecked its bulb. A cloud of green spores escaped. The huge bird tried to twist around, to avoid the spores, to no avail. In seconds, it was asleep on the ground. It was Bulbasaur’s turn to land several direct tackles.

_“Fearow is unable to battle. Challenger Gina wins the battle!”_

“Wow, that Bulbasaur is even stronger than Hoppip,” Jimothy gushed. “Did you see how it used its vines?” He waved his arms and made whip-cracking noises.

All four of his Pokemon chattered with earnest. Toot Toot’s eyes jumped around in apprehension. Jimothy patted his head. “Don’t worry. Falkner used stronger Pokemon for Gina because she has more badges than I do. He’ll use something easier when we face him later.”

Fang hopped up and down, pointing towards the exit of the dining hall. Jimothy lifted his backpack onto his shoulders. “You’re right, we need to get going. Everyone in your balls! If we get there fast enough, we can make it before Gina leaves!”

Jimothy broke off into a sprint down Violet’s streets, backpack jostling against his back. He made it within half an hour. Bursting into the Gym, he found himself face-to-face with Gina.

She stumbled back, crying, “Whoa! Watch out!”

Jimothy doubled over, panting. “You’re… Gina…” 

“Yup, that’s me.” She tilted her head. “Haven’t we met?”

“Ye—Yesterday…” He straightened up. “Right at the desk over there.”

Gina’s face lit up with recognition. “Oh, yeah! You’re that boy.”

“Jimothy. My name is Jimothy.”

“ _Jimothy_? You must be from New Bark Town.”

He puffed out his chest. “I’m a hero from New Bark Town. I saw your battle on TV. Your Pokemon looked really strong, but I can say for sure I’m stronger! As your rival challenger, I want to battle with you!”

Gina shook her head. Jimothy deflated. “Why not?”

“I just battled the Gym Leader and two of his Gym Trainers back to back. I want to give my Pokemon a proper break before asking them to battle again.”

“Oh, that’s right…”

“You have your match against the Leader coming up, right?” asked Gina.

Jimothy checked the clock on his PokeGear. “Yeah, in about two hours or so.”

Gina checked her own PokeGear watch. “I’m pretty busy today, so if I happen to be nearby, I’ll try to stop in and watch. And if not, there will be reruns on the Battle Network.”

“O-Okay! Either way, prepare to be amazed!” Gina left.

* * *

Huge windows set in the high ceiling let in natural blue daylight. Even so, the gym’s white, jumbo lights clicked on when Jimothy walked out from the field entrance. Hundreds of seats surrounded the arena. The battlefield itself was simple and nondescript, acceptable for a Flying-type gym.

Jimothy squinted in the white stadium lights as he shuffled along the length of the field. His stomach fluttered. His hands held tension. The air conditioning made him shiver. He scanned the seats on both sides. On one side sat less than twelve people, bunched in pairs or trios. On the other, about thirty or so fans wearing blue uniforms and facepaint buzzed with anticipation. There were plenty of visible cameras, as well. Jimothy swallowed. His moves would be broadcast live to the whole region.

“Good luck, newbie!” hollered the blue-clad fans in the stands. They whooped and gave him a round of applause. 

_That’s nice of them to cheer for me_ , Jimothy thought. His hands unclenched, and he waved at them. They weren’t the only ones. _If Mom and my friends are watching, then I have to act like a real New Bark Town hero!_ He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, lengthened his stride.

The blue aficionados screamed even louder when their favored Gym Leader appeared on the scene. “Falk-ner! Falk-ner!”

Their waving signs of support caught Jimothy’s eye. _Someday, they’ll be shouting_ my _name and waving signs for_ me _._

Falkner raised his voice to be heard over the cacophony. “Challenger! This is your first Gym battle, right? I hope I can make it a memorable one.”

He seemed so calm, confident, cool. Jimothy could only nod. His nerves threatened to come back.

The referee stepped up. The spectators went silent. Jimothy’s heart pounded in his ears. “This is a zero-badge match between Falkner, leader of Violet City Gym, and Jimothy of New Bark Town. Two Pokemon each in single battle format. And… begin!”

“I choose you, Pidgey!” Falkner called, sending out his first Pokemon.

Jimothy found his voice. “You’re a star, Nugget! Let’s see who has the stronger Pidgey.” His larger Pidgey appeared on the field and struck his spread-wings pose. The fans in the stands cheered.

“Yes, let’s. Pidgey, Sand Attack!” Falkner’s Pidgey used its wings to fling sand at Nugget’s face.

“Use Gust, like we practiced!” called Jimothy. Nugget beat his wings, whipping up a whirl of wind. It was only strong enough to clear the Sand Attack. Jimothy grunted, “Rats…”

Falkner called, “Ascend, Pidgey! Build speed for a Tackle!”

“You too, Nugget!” Nugget followed his smaller counterpart. Matched in agility, they traded blows. Over and over, their bodies collided, until Falkner’s Pidgey hit the ground, one wing bent awkwardly on impact. The little bird heaved to its feet, favoring the wing.

Falkner’s eyes locked on Nugget circling in the air. To his Pokemon, he admonished, “Wait for it.”

“Nugget, try Gust again!”

“Run, Pidgey!”

Nugget flapped. Launched a full column of wind. Despite its best efforts, Falkner’s Pidgey was caught in the draft. Tossed in the air. Hit the ground again with heaving breaths.

“Falkner’s Pidgey is unable to battle. Jimothy’s Pidgey wins the match!”

“Woo! You were great, Nugget!” Jimothy clapped along with the fans. Nugget fluttered down with grace. One down, one to go.

Falkner called back his Pidgey. “Your Pidgey’s abilities are outstanding. Let’s see how he fairs against… Pidgeotto!”

Pidgeotto looked even bigger than it had when Jimothy was in the stands earlier. Unfazed, Nugget struck his spread-wing pose again, but Jimothy called him back.

“You were great out there, Nugget. Fang, you’re next!” His Totodile was momentarily distracted by the whoops and hollers of the audience, but when his glare met Pidgeotto’s, he pounded his chest and showed his teeth.

“Use Gust!” Falkner ordered. Two wingbeats from Pidgeotto later, a strong whirlwind spun Fang around and around. He tumbled head over heels in front of Jimothy. Stood back up on wobbly feet.

“Leer!”

“Mud-Slap.”

With glowing talons, Pidgeotto launched a clod of mud at Fang’s glaring face. He swiped at his own face to try to clear his vision. Jimothy clenched his fists, his mind going blank.

“Gust!”

“Uh…!” Jimothy choked out. He gritted his teeth, helpless, as Fang swirled around in the column of wind. His hands became clammy. _A move. Any move! I have to tell Fang something…!_

“Tackle,” shouted Falkner.

Jimothy blurted out, “Rage!”

Eyes squeezed shut, Fang opened his mouth. Pidgeotto slammed him hard. He stumbled, bit down. Caught one wing between his jaws. Clamped down harder. Pidgeotto screeched, flapping its other wing wildly. It pecked Fang’s face until he let go. Fang gave a snarl and huffed a snort.

“Again, Fang!”

“Mud-Slap!”

Pidgeotto dug into the ground with his talons. Fang lurched forward, got a mouthful of dirt. He snapped down on the bird Pokemon’s leg. Fang whipped his head to and fro. Pidgeotto thrashed about. A flurry of loose feathers enveloped them. 

“Pidgeotto, return!” When Falkner recalled his Pokemon, Fang hacked and coughed up the mud from his throat. Spurts of water shot out with each sputter.

The referee raised his arm to the side. “Pidgeotto is unable to continue. Challenger Jimothy wins the battle!” Falkner’s fans applauded for both competitors.

All the anxious nerves inside Jimothy’s chest gave way to elation. He burst into laughter, pumping his fists up and down. “Yes! We did it! We beat our first Gym!” Running over to Fang, he lifted him up in a hug. “We won, buddy! You and Nugget were amazing!”

Fang gave one last watery cough before lifting one fist and crying, “Daaa!”

With his Totodile in tow, Jimothy met Falkner midfield. Though he looked a bit dejected, Falkner gave a tight-lipped smile and held out his hand. Jimothy shook it. “That was quite a match!” said Falkner. “Your team bested my cherished bird Pokemon. You’ve earned this Zephyr Badge. Ah, and this move disc — it has data to teach Mud-Slap. It ruins the opponent’s accuracy while causing some damage.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Jimothy put the disc in his bag and clutched the shining badge in his hand. “Yes! My first badge, haha!” Fang hopped up and down at his side. “Thank you for the battle, mister Gym Leader!”

In the lobby, Jimothy set the feather-shaped pin inside his badge case. In his narrator voice, he said, “With his first badge in hand, the hero considers his next move—”

A girl’s voice interrupted him. “Hey, Jimothy!”

He looked up. Gina skipped up to him, her backpack bouncing on her shoulders. Jimothy jumped. “You made it after all!”

“Yep! I watched the whole battle from the stands.”

“What did you think? I’ve got a strong team, huh?” Jimothy puffed out his chest again. “Strong enough to battle you, maybe?” Fang tugged his pantleg, shaking his head no.

Gina noticed it. “Maybe another time. You should give your team a rest, first.”

Jimothy wilted. “That’s true.” He patted Fang on the head. “Sorry for not thinking of that first thing.” He called back his Totodile.

Jimothy and Gina walked out of the Gym and eastward down the street. Like the previous day, the sun beamed brightly in a cloudless blue sky. Even passing breezes were warm. Some of the other people walking down the sidewalks fanned their faces with pamphlets. Another trainer had her Poliwag spray her in the face with water.

“Any ideas on what you want to do now that you have your first badge?” asked Gina.

Jimothy answered, without hesitation, “Get my second badge!”

“Of course. Will you do Azalea Town’s Gym? Or, I suppose Ecruteak Gym would be closer…”

Jimothy considered. “Azalea Gym is the Bug-type Gym, right? That sounds like it would be easy, especially with my Pidgey.”

“Ooh, don’t let that typing fool you. Bugsy has a strong team of Pokemon. But, Route 32 to Azalea Town is a long hike down the mountain, and there are all kinds of wild Pokemon you can train against.”

“Nice! We’ll need all the training we can get! How about you, Gina? Where will you go next?”

“I want to go to the National Park to catch a rare Pokemon for my team. The fastest way there is to leave Violet City to the north — so, the opposite way as you.”

Jimothy frowned. “That sounds great. But when will we have our battle?”

Gina shrugged. “Why don’t we trade phone numbers? If we happen to be in the same place, we can call each other and make time to meet up!”

“That’s a good idea!” After dialing her number into his phone, Jimothy said, “Hey, call me when you catch your rare Pokemon. I want to hear all about it. Don’t leave out any details!”

“Will do. See you around!” With a wave, Gina turned west and headed back.

Jimothy’s phone rang almost immediately. _Does she miss me already?_ He chuckled at the thought. To his surprise, it was Seanathan.

“Duuude!” shouted Seanathan. “That battle was awesome!"

Elizabelle’s voice came through. “Nice work out there, Jimothy!”

In the background, Sandra piped up, “Hi! Hi! Tell him I said hi.”

“Tell us everything! How did you feel with all those people and cameras?” Seanathan wanted to know.

“Sandra is asking if you’ve caught any cute Pokemon yet.”

Spotting the Pokemon Center, Jimothy ambled along with a spring in his step. “Listen up, because I’ve got a lot to fill you in on.”

* * *

Camera at eye-level, backpack heavy with fresh supplies, Jimothy marched down the sloped, forested paths of northern Route 32. Knee-high grass scraped his pantlegs. Tufts of grass and hardy flowers grew from cracks in rough brown stone. It was late afternoon and not so hot, but the abundance of full trees would make finding shade easy.

In his narrator voice, he said, “With his first badge in hand, the hero makes his way south to Union Cave, which is the last obstacle before the next town, and his next badge… Waaah—!”

Jimothy nearly tripped over the Bellsprout blending in with the tall grass. Shifting the camera in his hands, he released a Pokeball from the newly-purchased waist clip and threw it down. “Get ready, Nugget—”

Toot Toot squinted in the late afternoon daylight. “Oops. Well, you can take it on. Use, uh Tackle?” The round owl toddled forward to jump bodily against the Bellsprout. Jimothy facepalmed.

When the Bellsprout vine-whipped him in the face, Toot Toot went running scared behind Jimothy’s legs. Jimothy sighed. “You really don’t like battling, do you?” The Hoothoot shook his head no.

“Here, hold my camera in your claws like this.” After making sure Toot Toot’s grip was secure, he sent out Nugget. “Go get ‘em!” The battle was over in seconds.

“Nice work!” He paused at a boulder on the side of the path. “Here, Toot Toot.” Stopping the film, he reviewed the battle. “It’s a good first try. Try flying up and down to get a good angle, okay? Let’s go find some wild Pokemon to battle.”

Nodding, Toot Toot took the camera and followed Jimothy.

They did not have to wait long for more chances. A Mareep stood with its head lowered, grazing. Jimothy sent out Stinky who, in his usual fashion, attacked with his tongue. Several other wild Pokemon met the same fate. Soon Jimothy switched Pokemon, sending Fang out to battle a Wooper.

Wooper sprayed water in Fang’s face. Jimothy exclaimed, “Hey, Fang! Didn’t you use a Water-type move earlier?”

Opening his mouth, Fang strained. A trickle of water dribbled from his jaws. The Wooper turned around and wagged its tail, mocking him. With an angry huff, Fang strained again. This time, a full spurt of water shot out. He fired his Water Gun attack at Wooper until it ran off.

“Yahoo!” Jimothy crouched to hug his dancing Totodile. “The hero’s first partner has gained a new skill! Only time will tell how useful it will be on their journey.”

His PokeGear phone chimed at his wrist. “The hero receives communication from the quest-giver,” he said to the camera. Plodding down the path, he answered it. “Hi, Professor.”

“Hello, Jimothy. Is now a good time?”

“Yep! I’m just hiking to the next town.”

“Th-The next town? Already?! Oh dear, what about your Gym match?”

Jimothy’s face cleared. “That happened a few hours ago.”

“Oh, oh, my goodness… How embarrassing.”

Jimothy leaned towards Toot Toot and whispered, “He’s a scatterbrain.”

The professor cleared his throat. “Well, how far away from Violet City are you? Could you turn back?”

“Go back? But why?”

“It’s about the egg. My aide and I have determined that a certain level of agitation may help expedite the growth of the Pokemon inside. In other words, it may hatch sooner if you carry it with you on your journey. To make things easier, I can send my aide right over to the Violet City Pokemon Center tomorrow morning. Will you be able to make it back?”

Jimothy hesitated. Didn't an egg mean a baby? He frowned.  _ A baby can’t go on an adventure. _ “I don’t think I can. I’m pretty far along. In fact, I can almost see the next town from here.”

“Oh. That’s a shame. I suppose I will have to find someone else…”

“You know Elizabelle, right? She’s my friend. She’s always wanted to be a researcher. Or you can ask my other friend Seanathan; he really wants to have a Pokemon.”

“Hm, I suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask. And they’re right here in town. It would save my aide a trip. Thank you for the suggestions, Jimothy! Congratulations on your Gym battle.”

“Thanks, Professor!”

The smell hit Jimothy’s nose before he could hang up. The tang of salt on cool air. The ocean! Up ahead, Fang had reached a clearing and was babbling and pointing with unbridled enthusiasm. Jimothy hustled to his side with Toot Toot close behind. The grassy clearing was on a plateau overlooking an inlet. The sunset dyed the water orange.

“It’s just like home,” Jimothy said to his Pokemon. “My house is really close to the beach in New Bark Town. A short hike, really.” He took his camera back from Toot Toot to film the sun sinking behind the sea. “It’s getting a bit late, though. It’s time we set up camp.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jimothy's current team:  
> \- Totodile ("Fang", male)  
> \- Pidgey ("Nugget", male)  
> \- Hoothoot ("Toot Toot", male)  
> \- Gastly ("Stinky", male)  
> Death count: 0


End file.
